Mercedes-Benz Head of Motorsport Toto Wolff has called the penalty handed out to Audi Head of Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich ‘harsh’ after his counterpart was banned from attending races in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) for the rest of the season.
Along with Dr. Ullrich’s ban, driver Timo Scheider has been banned from racing this weekend in Moscow for pushing out Pascal Wehrlein and Robert Wickens in the controversial second race in Spielberg.
“We have taken note of the court’s decision,” said Wolff. “Unfortunately our drivers remain without points from the second race in Spielberg. I am sorry for Pascal and Robert because those lost points might still play an important role in the fight for the championship.
“The court’s decision concerning Dr. Ullrich is certainly harsh. Until this incident we have known him as a man of integrity who has done a lot for the series. There are no differences between Dr. Ullrich and us, and we will continue to work together in the established way.”
The decision to strip Audi of the manufacturers’ points gained in Spielberg has elevated Mercedes to the top of the marque standings, with a 43-point margin over Audi.
“Deleting the points for Audi in the Manufacturers’ Championship means we now lead the standings,” added Wolff. “However, this is no particular reason for satisfaction because that’s not the way we want to decide a sporting competition.”
Lead Mercedes driver Wehrlein claims he has come to terms over the last-lap incident in Austria, with the German now 17 points adrift of series leader Mattias Ekström.
“I’ve come to terms with what happened at Spielberg and hope that I can convert the negative experiences into positive energy for the next few races.”